What is Pind Daan?

Pind Daan is the sacred ritual of offering pindas — small balls made from rice flour, barley, sesame seeds (til), and ghee — to departed ancestors. The Garuda Purana explains that each pinda symbolises the physical body, and offering it helps unite the departed soul (preta) with the collective ancestors (pitru) in Pitriloka. This ritual is essential during the first year after death and during Pitrupaksha. Sacred cities like Gaya, Prayagraj, Varanasi, and Haridwar are considered the most powerful tirthas for Pind Daan.